Prepare for fireworks! We will go on the attack at the Etihad, says a bold Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes free-scoring Manchester City will be playing under ‘negative pressure’ at the Etihad.

Despite City having scored 25 goals in their past five home games, the Arsenal chief is convinced their bid to win the Barclays Premier League will unravel Saturday lunchtime.

Arsenal’s manager says his team have the psychological edge and they will extend their lead over City to a whopping nine points with a win.

Bold: Arsene Wenger is confident his side can get a victory at the Etihad

Fortress: Manchester City have scored 25 goals in their last five matches at home

Wenger said: ‘Let’s not forget that if you are in City’s position and they lose, then they are nine points behind — they have more negative pressure than we have.

‘We have a positive pressure that we can make a big difference with them, so let’s look at it like that. Of course it strengthens your beliefs, but I am convinced we believe in ourselves anyway, no matter what happens. I don’t see why we should be scared.

‘Last season when we went to Newcastle on the last day and we had absolutely to win you could think, “If we don’t win it will be a disaster”. There were clouds over the team with the possible elimination in Naples (midweek), and maybe we were a bit tense. Napoli at home are a difficult team to play.

Mind games: Wenger has ramped up the pressure on the home side

Light hearted: Jack Wilshere, Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey laugh and smile at their final training session ahead of the game

‘We can focus completely on the championship now. We have a cushion, we are not really under massive pressure. We have an opportunity to show our strength and that is what we want to take.

‘We have an opportunity to make the difference because everybody else plays after us.

‘We can extend the lead over Liverpool from five points to eight and that’s fantastic — that’s how we look at it.’

City stunned Europe on Tuesday when they recovered from 2-0 down to beat Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich 3-2 in the Allianz-Arena. But Wenger is convinced that his team will recover from the disappointment of Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat by Napoli in the Stadio San Paolo.

All smiles: The Manchester City squad also warmed up with a laugh and joke

Reinstated: Joe Hart could make a return to Premier League action after impressing in the win over Bayern Munich

Each time Arsenal have lost this season — against Aston Villa, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United — they have won their next game.

The Arsenal chief added: ‘This is a big test because it’s a game where we can make a difference; with our quality, with our spirit and with our attitude. We want to get a result.

‘We like to score goals, we like to go forward and we want, of course, to score goals. But Manchester City can do that as well so both teams will certainly produce top level performances defensively.

‘I believe that Manuel Pellegrini is an offensive manager. I am as well, so you should see interesting things on the offensive level as well.’

Table toppers: An Arsenal win would see the Gunners extend their lead over City to nine points

Arsenal’s next two games — against City today and at home to Chelsea a week on Monday — will go some way towards deciding the title race.

Despite failing to win the Premier League since 2004, Wenger insists the top clubs share a responsibility to win the title.

Wenger added: ‘We all have a responsibility to win it but in England so many teams can win the league. Nobody can guarantee it.

‘City have unlimited financial resources, so the expectations are certainly big.

Content: Wenger says he does not envy the City squad, despite the money they have spent to assemble it

‘I don’t know why Roberto Mancini was sacked. They went out of the Champions League early after they had only just won the League. They have gone a different way (to Arsenal) but I believe we have consistency in our attitude and results.

‘For years we were restricted by our finances, and we are still restricted by our plan, but we have better and stronger resources now.Fair or unfair, I don’t know — it’s just linked with their beliefs.

'They have a very strong squad — I do not deny that — but I look at my squad and I do not envy them.’